Constructional toy



April 2,1935. A. c. GILBERT ET AL I 1,996,722

CONSTRUCTI ONAL TOY Filed April 17, 1954 YTTORNE YJ 'atented Apr. 2, 1935 Haven, Conn., assignors to The A. 0. Gilbert I Company, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Maryland Application April 17, 1934, Serial No. 720,937

7 Claims. (Cl. 4635) This invention relates to constructional toy outfits, such as the well-known Meccano, and is characterized by its simplicity and by the facility with which the various elements of the outfits may be assembled and fastened together, even by small children, to build any desired toy, and then dis-assembled with equal facility.

One object of the invention is a constructional toy comprising novel fastening and retaining members which may be readily inserted through registering holes of two or more toy elementsfor permanently holding the same in assembled relation, in lieu of the usual nuts and bolts, and

which may with equal facility be disengaged by.

the application of longitudinal pressure at the smaller end of the fastening members.

A further object of thefinvention is the pro vision of fastening or retaining members or elements of this general character which, in addition to their usual function, are adapted to serve its; bearings or shafts for pulleys, wheels, and the 1 e. For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing wherein: v Fig. 1. is a perspective view of ,a constructional toy embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a detail thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the fastening elements thereof;

Fig. 4 is a sectionalong theline 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a perspective-view of a detail of the toy; l

Fig. 6 is a view of a modification; and

g. 7 is a view of another modification.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is illustrated'as embodied in a toy hoist containing a base l,=standards 2, a Windlass shaft 3 and the block and tackle 4. The base plate I, the standards 2, and other similar elements of the toy are provided with a multiplicityof perforations 5 all preferably of the same size and equally spaced according ,to a predetermined standardization.

taining'and holding function.

The resilientconnecting members 6, in the particular embodiment shown, comprise a flangelike base 1 and an expansible resilient projection 8. The projection 8 is circular-in cross section to correspond to the circular perforations 5. The inner portion of the projection is of a size or cross section to fit closely in the registering circular'perforations 5 of the separate elements of the toy to be fastenedtogether,-while the outer 0 end ll] of the projection-is normally somewhat larger than the perforations 5, but contractible and resilient radially thereof to enable the same to be inserted forcibly through the registering perforations by slight pressure applied to the flange or base 1. The expansibility andcontrac tibility is effected by making the member 8 of a resilient material, such as spring metal, with elongated longitudinal slots l I formed in the projection Ill and preferably'extending at H into the base 1. In the particular embodiment shown in Figs. 2-5 there are three such slots formed in the member, whichslots are equally spaced to divide the projection into three sector parts. These slots permit the sides of the projection to be slightly compressed by engagement with the walls of the perforations 5 while passing therethrough, thus enabling the member 6 to be readily inserted and removed at will. At the same time they form asecure fastening'and retaining means for two or more of the perforated elements of the toy when inserted through registering perforations with the flange part 1 engaging or in proximity to the surface of. one of the perforated elements. The projections 8 are preferably fru'sto-conical in shape and the perforated members tend to move down to the smaller dimension against the fiange I. 1 In Fig. 5 a disc wheel I2 is shown attached to a perforated strip I3 by means of one of these resilient retaining elements 6, and it is observed that the projecting part 8, Fig. 4, of this element forms a bearing or shaft, upon which the disc l2 rotates, in addition to its function as a fastening and retaining means.' In Fig. 6 is shown a modification wherein the members 6 have a slot l l formed straight across the projection, which enables the squeezing of the same through the perforations 5 for fastening the parts together. It is also understood that the shape of the projections 8 may vary from that shown without departing from the invention. For example, instead of frusto-conical they may be more bulbous in shape.

In Fig. '1 is shown a modifiedform of fastening means, wherein the member 6 comprises a conical body part ll having av closed end and a flange part ll at theopen end, with slots l0 formed longitudinally of the body part and through the flange II. The innerends I! of the slots are enlarged as indicated and in the particular embodiment shown there are four such slots circumferentially and equally spaced from each other by 90, although it is understood that the number of such slots may be varied. The member 6 is thus formed from a sheet metal having the required spring and resiliency and the whole 'including the flange is divided circumferentially by the slots into a multiplicity of independently springing, gripping and retaining parts for firmly holding the elements of the toy together. 'I'he closed end must of course be slightly smaller than the perforations 5 while the main body is larger; requiring the independent spring leaves to be pressed inwardly against their tension by the walls of the perforations when the members are pressed through.

The resilient fastening element a may be made from any desired material such as spring metal of a character which is easily worked or stamped.

bers and an elongated projecting part passing through the perforations of a cross-section and peripheral contour to forman engaging surface without abrupt change lengthwise thereof for engaging the walls of-the perforations, said prolections having at least two slots formed therein to render the same expansively resilient and being of normally larger cross-section at their larg- 'er endsthani the perforations, but resiliently contract'ible for insertion through registering perforations and resiliently gripping and engaging the walls of each of the perforations and retained therein solely by friction, said projections being thereby capable of ready insertion and removal by a simple straight pushing movement with the 2. A constructional toy assembly comprising at least two component perforated parts and fastening. members for the same, each-member being of a single integrally formed piece having a flanged part on one side of the perforated members and an elongatedprojecting .part of substantially circular cross-section and generally of conical contour to form an'engaging peripheral surface without abrupt change lengthwise thereof for engaging the walls of the perforation at their larger ends than th perforations,

but resilientlycontractible for insertion through registering perforations and resiliently gripping and engaging the walls of each of the perforations and retained therein solely by friction and the outer ends of the projections being formed closely in registering perforations of each of said separate elements, and the body of said projection being normally expanded to a cross-section gradually increasing in an outward direction to provide resilient compressible complementary clamping parts for ready insertion into and engagement by friction alone with the wall of each of the registering openings of said elements and retaining the same at any point intermediate the ends of the projection. 4. A resilient connecting member of the character set-forth in claim 3, wherein the ends of the projections are closed except for the cut or cuts formed therein.

5. In a constructional toy, a resilient connecting member consisting of a flangedib'ase and a projection of 'conical shape without abrupt change therein extending from the flange, said projection being closed at the end remote from the flange and open at the flange and having a plurality of longitudinal slots formed radially through the flange and along the projection to points adjacent the closed end, the inner portion of the projection adjacent the flange being normally of a cross section greater than the perforationsof the separate elements of'ga constructional toy, and the outer end of said projection being of a cross section slightly less than the perforatons..

6. Ina constructional toy, a resilient connecting member consisting of, a flanged base and a projection integrally formed with and extending from the flange and having a peripheral engaging surface without abrupt change lengthwise thereof, said projection having at least two iongitudinal slots extending from points adjacent the outer end throughout the remainder of the body of the projection and entirely through the flange, the inner'portion of the projection adjacent, the flange being normally in cross-section greater than the"perforationsof the'separate elements of a constructional toy and the outer end of said projection being of a cross-section tslightly less than the "diameter ,of the perforaions.

7. In a construction of the character set forth in claim 6 wherein the slots are enlarged at certain points of the projection.

ALFRED C. GILBERT.

JAMES E. McLOUGHLIN. 

